If This Is Your Land, Where Are Your Stories?: Reimagining Home And Sacred Space

by J. Edward Chamberlin

Book by Chamberlin, J. Edward

Genres: Nonfiction, Indigenous, Literary Criticism, Social Science, Canada

271 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2003

Reviews

[Malcolm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every now and then I read a book that thoroughly impresses me with the author's learning, its erudition, its sheer elegance, and with the power of its argument (in 1990 it was a marvellous book called Black Sheep and Kissing Cousins: How Family Stories Shape Us). This is one of those. By way of a discussion of the question of indigenous claims to land, Chamberlin explores the ways that stories work, the ways they blend the real and the imaginary, the ways different communities, cultures and occupations have different types of stories.

Along the way he makes some wonderful points – almost all to do with paradox (revealing at least a partial postmodern influence): for instance, indigenous peoples who have lived in an area for thousands of years may be seen as 'nomads' while new arrivals who bring with them a vision of 'home' that they may try to recreate – as the British did when they reshaped colonial landscapes – are seen as 'settlers'. His focus is not so much on the content of stories, but the ways we all have them, the ways they work, and the ways we all believe particular stories. His case is about the act of believing.

As powerful and beautiful as the book is, his case finishes up being dangerously relativist: if the big thing is the act of belief, how do we know correct belief (if evolution is just the theory – a story – why is teaching creationism a bad thing, which it is!). But it isn't completely so – he gives us a way out of relativism by arguing for the importance of ceremonies of belief as our common ground.

The book then seems to be about our common humanity, which depresses me: if our problem in dealing with the fall out from colonialism is out failure to recognise common humanity – we're not far beyond nineteenth century scientific racism. This conflicting interpretation points to the very problem Chamberlin so deftly weaves his way through – the challenges of reimagining, reconceptualising Them and Us, and the epistemological break it may require. I know I'll return to this, and know that next time I read it I'll experience a different book. Any way, it is an essential read for anyone wanting to find a way past the problem that Our beliefs are facts and Their beliefs are stories or myths.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this book today and feel like I need to go back to the beginning and start reading it again. The subtitle of my edition is 'finding common ground' which I think is a better subtitle. It's about ideas of story, ownership of land, truth and history and it made me see all of those things in a new way.

[Allyse Reinauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Navigating the narrative of “Us and Them” by exploring how cultures shape, and are shaped by their stories. Made even more compelling by switching between the lenses of sociology, religion, math, philosophy and literature. A beautifully written reminder that though our stories aren’t the same, they really aren’t that different.

[Rhys · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The truth had to do with ceremony, not evidence" (p.147).

An interesting and wide-ranging excursion through our stories, and the importance of finding commonalities between them.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first read this book, I wrote this as a caption in Instagram: “One of the best books I've read on quite some time. At once eclectic, elegant, and spirited, it charts the hold stories have on us, and articulates everything I love about the field of literature. If you're looking for a book to read this summer, this one comes very highly recommended.”

Having now read it many times over, my love for this book has only deepened – we’re talking if-I-could-only-read-one-book-for-the-rest-of-my-life-I’d-choose-this-one levels of love here. It’s so damn good. Chamberlin’s writing is smart, witty, and deeply layered – every time I return to it, there’s something new to unearth, something else that shifts the way I think about stories and how they shape the world.

If you have an interest in stories (and I know you do – you are on Goodreads, after all), then I really can’t recommend this book enough.

(To that end: if you like Thomas King’s “The Truth About Stories”, this book is a MUST)

[T.R. Ormond · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book that hopes to connect ends to their processes, to bring imagination and reality together, and in so doing to help the world heal, to erase the conflict between "us" and "them."

That does not mean erasing all difference. This is not a treatise on conformity or assimilation. Even if our particular stories and beliefs divide us, Chamberlain argues that we can all agree that stories are important. Maybe we will never be able to agree on what to believe, but, with work and empathy, we can learn to agree on what it is to believe and to respect that essential truth in and for one another (240).

I don't think I've ever read anything quite like this before. It is very circuitous. But that seems to be its point. I would like to read it again one day soon, when I feel a little less under the gun.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - it is like history set to poetry and stories. The author uses his experience in societies around the world to link oral traditions, including stories and poetry, with connections to the land. As a settler on Indigenous territory, I appreciated the way the author demonstrated the generational connections to land and the importance of these connections to belonging, identify and tradition. A beautiful take on a difficult topic.

[John Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Chamberlin explores the stories that different groups use to claim an area and these groups might listen to each other's stories. He has many good examples from different genres of oral and written literature. While the examples were good, I was sometimes confused by the bigger issues he was trying to point out. The author writes very lyrically and it is interesting reading.

[Sean Dyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good non fiction book on Canadian First Nation relationships. Its excellent for gaining some political history and learning to be more understanding and empathetic. It has a very good call to action.

[Bill Brydon · Rating 5 out of 5]

J. Edward Chamberlin, takes his title from the indigenous challenge issued to British settler/colonials who claimed this land by over-riding the claims of its original inhabitants, Chamberlin stresses the world-making power of stories this way. He writes: “In many ways, home is an image for the power of stories. With both, we need to live in them if they are to take hold, and we need to stand back from them if we are to understand their power” Diana Brydon

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book without seeming like an "important book" -- highly readable and entertaining, as a story should be. It provides insight into what common ground and inter-cultural understanding is all about.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot to think about in this book. I enjoyed it, but I don't know if it was the best choice for holiday reading - I might try reading it again sometime when I'm less distracted.